Fate's Tool
by WhiteInnocence
Summary: She appeared on the Bifrost one day, soaking wet and unconscious. Fate had placed her there in a desperate attempt to change the future of the Realms. First Thor fic, Loki/OC, will probably be changed to M for future graphic violence/sexual scenes.
1. Chapter 1

**AN: So this is my first fanfiction in a LONG time. I'm starting from scratch, and really trying to stick to fandoms that I can keep interested in. I'm taking bits from the movie, and bits from Norse mythology, so if there's anything that you might not know about, I'll be posting short definitions and histories in the Author's Note after each chapter, just so you can refer down if there was anything that confused you. **

**Awesome! On with the show!**

**Disclaimer: I do NOT own Thor, or any of the characters, nor do I personally own any Norse mythology**

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And one day, she was just there. It was not a big event, like the cosmos coming into alignment. There was no fanfare to greet her; no trumpets blew, no drums were beat upon, and no one was there to greet her. Had anyone been there to welcome her, they would have not had much interaction, because she arrived quite unconscious.

She arrived in Asgard quite…wetly. Her alabaster skin gleamed different shades in the reflection of the Bifrost, and her hair pooled around her head like liquid gold. She lay on one side, her arms and legs scattered in front of her as though she were simply sleeping. She arrived with nothing but the moisture upon her naked body, and the mystery that surrounded her arrival. She rested unnoticed for only a few moments until Heimdall Saw her. As he approached the small figure, he slowed down, his golden eyes burning over her limp form. He paused only for a fraction of a second before he called for assistance. And because of Heimdall's sight, he knew that he mustn't summon any ordinary help that day. For the future was present behind Heimdall's eyes, and with such a vision present in his Sight, he couldn't simply ignore what was in store. The fate of the kingdom rested upon this figure, this…girl. How such a small, and unimposing thing could have such a great effect on the time to come was beyond Heimdall, but it was not his job to question, only to act.

He knelt beside the delicate figure. It was as if some power higher even than that of the Aesir had placed her there. It was not _HOW _she arrived that puzzled him. It was why he did not see her until she was _IN _Asgard. Heimdall had never let anything slip beyond his powerful gaze, not until today. He was not frightened by the girl, simply intrigued. She had no weapons, no marks or injuries; she was simply there. The girl was not dead, not by any means; with such a presence in the eyes of Heimdall, there was no way that she could be dead. He reached out to stroke the girl's face, hand hovering inches away from her pale skin, contrasting so starkly with his dark fingers. With no contact, Heimdall pulled away, and stood guard over the wilted form.

Before another second went by, the drumming of horses' hooves could be felt upon the Bifrost. Three figures appeared in the distance, slowly turning from tiny specks to men upon horses as they raced towards the source of the call. Heimdall stood firm, waiting patiently until the three horses slowed. Two men dismounted from their chestnut panting beasts, rushing to the aid of the lifeless girl. The third man slid elegantly from the back of his midnight-colored horse, and slowly approached the group.

This man carried himself with a different air than the other two. He carried all the power and might of a warrior, but you could see the cunning behind his mischievous eyes. He floated along the glowing topside of the Bifrost with the dignity and poise of a powerful man. His mouth was set in an uncharacteristically tight line, his eyes like chips of ice; this man was not one who often showed his emotions so readily. He strode past his companions as stood in the face of the Guardian, chin held high as he addressed the Seer.

"Heimdall?" he questioned, his voice silken and calm. "What is so important that my brother and I were summoned during such an important time for the kingdom? Do you not know that Thor's coronation falls in a fortnight? Thor is much too busy to attend any matters other than that of his immediate future." The tall, graceful man was not pleased that the Guardian would not make eye contact with him, but a small part of him was glad; he, like many others, sometimes became uncomfortable under the ember gaze of Heimdall.

"I am aware, Loki," spoke Heimdall, "But I Saw you attending to the girl's arrival. I thought it best if I did not go against what the future has in store for us." Heimdall knew that revealing the path of one's life would certainly drive any man to madness. Knowing the future did not make life easier, as many would think. Heimdall knew far too many who had lived their lives by the word of a Soothsayer, always anticipating their future, not stopping to bask in the world that they were blind to. He would take treason by lying over letting the God of Mischief know his fate.

But Loki did not hear the Guardian speak, for he was too absorbed in what lay in front of him. The girl's breathing was shallow, but present. He noticed the way that her long hair spread in damp tendrils along the surface of the Bifrost; the blonde locks flashing different colors as the energy passed beneath them. She was sprawled across the bridge haphazardly as if someone has dropped her there, but at the same time held a peace about her as if she were sleeping. Never in his life had the God been drawn so strongly to something so…insignificant. And yet here he was, staring down at this pathetic, prostrate form, unable to look away. Dozens of questions bounced around in his head: Who is she? Where did she come from? What is she? Was she an enemy?

But most importantly, or so Loki thought…How did she get here?

Slowly, Loki knelt before the girl, taking in her features in more detail. Curiosity got the better of him, and he reached out to her. But before his slim fingers could meet her skin, she jerked awake, eyes flying open and back arching as though a bolt of electricity had passed through her body. Immediately, she began to scream, frantically swinging at the figures around her. The men jumped back, but Heimdall and Loki barely flinched. Her eyes were the most shocking blue, wide with the most starling fear. Her limbs thrashed about wildly, as she convulsed before the small group. Between the long, painful sounds that were drawn from her very core, she gasped for breath, almost choking on the air around her, only to let out another horrific screech.

"HELP ME!" she cried, whipping her head back and forth, looking at all the men, but not seeing them. "OH GOD, OH GOD, I'M DROWNING, I'M DRO-" Her cry was cut off as she gasped, and fell unconscious once more.

Loki was stunned into silence. This was a rare occasion indeed. Her breathing had become heavier since the fit, her skin flushed slightly from the exertion. The God of Mischief rose to his feet abruptly without taking his eyes off the girl.

"Hall, Amund," he barked. Both guards snapped to attention, crossing one closed fist over their heart. "Take the girl to the Healers, see that she is given the best of care, and send for me the instant that she wakes." The two warriors nodded, and got to work lifting the girl from the ground. It was only then that Loki noticed her true nakedness, and shouted for the guards to stop. He removed his emerald and black cloak, and draped it about the girl, leaving her with some sense of dignity. He may be a trickster and a fox, but Loki was not one to allow an innocent woman to be humiliated.

"Gentle, Hall!" he reprimanded, as the men roughly hauled the comatose girl onto a saddle. "See that she is properly cared for." Amund mounted his horse behind the girl, gently wrapping his large, armored forearms around her small frame. The two warriors made haste back to the city, no physical evidence of the girl's presence left. Loki and Heimdall watched them go, until they were no longer visible along the horizon.

"I demand answers, Heimdall," said Loki, slowly turning towards the Guardian.

"And for that, Your Highness, I demand questions," rumbled the Seer.

"Where would you like me to start, O Mighty Guardian of the Bifrost?" Loki spat the words at Heimdall, growing impatient with the elder God.

Heimdall gazed into the eyes of the young prince of Asgard. "Start, Prince Loki, with what I know burns against your tongue. It will not be the most important question that you ask, and the answer will be unsatisfactory."

"How did she get here?" He said, drawing closer to the Guardian. "How did a pathetic GIRL, manage to get past the All-Seeing Guardian? Or is your sight FADING, dear Heimdall?"

"I know not how the girl arrived here," Heimdall rumbled. "One moment she was not there, and the next she was. It was as if fate had stolen her, and placed her here without my knowledge. But you have yet to ask something that matters, Your Highness." Loki's eyes tried to pierce the gaze of the Guardian, but to no avail. Silence fell upon the two, locked eye to eye, battling for control of the interrogation.

"Who?" It came out in an echoing syllable, ripping through the peace of the air. "Who is she, Heimdall?"

"She is…" Heimdall paused, considering his words, "A girl."

"YES, I know that!" roared the thin God. "But WHO. IS. SHE?" He stood there, nose to nose with the Seer, panting and angry. Heimdall gazed down at Loki, unblinking.

"Who, is not important, Loki," he said. "She will tell us that when she wakes. You are missing the big picture, Your Highness. Who is not what you should be asking." Loki paused at these words, turning on his heel, pacing about the Guardian. His eyes were narrowed in concentration, until he grasped the idea from his head, eyes flying open, and whipping around to face Heimdall.

"She cannot be of Asgard, Heimdall," Loki spoke deliberately, tilting his head slightly to the side. "So if she is not Aesir…WHAT is she, Heimdall?"

Finally, the Guardian smiled. "At last," he sighed. "I cannot promise that you will be pleased with the answer, Prince Loki, but it is of great importance. It holds the f-"

"Yes, yes, all well and good now just tell me!" demanded the Prince. Heimdall looked into Loki's eyes, ember gaze meeting pale blue stare, preparing the younger God for what was to be said.

Heimdall paused. "She is…"

"SHE IS WHAT, YOU OLD FOOL?" bellowed the God, wind whipping his hair out behind him, making Loki look all the more enraged. Heimdall took a slow breath, and answered softly on the exhale.

"Human."

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**AN: Heimdall: In some Norse mythology, Heimdall was not only the Guardian of the Bifrost, but also a powerful Seer. For the purposes of my story, I have him acting as a Seer. He was described as, "handsomely gold-toothed" and "shining...[with] whitest of skins". I rather like the dark, brooding Heimdall of the movie, so I'm going to keep him that way. He also possessed the great horn, Gjallarhorn, which was meant to warn all the gods of the Ragnarok (The End of Days/The Transformation)**

**Aesir: The race of the denizens of Asgard. All residents of the Realm of Asgard are Aesir (aside from Loki, SPOILERS, SORRY), which is why it is so bizarre for the girl to be a human.**

**Bifrost: Also known as the Rainbow Bridge, it is the connection from Midgard (Earth, and the Realms of the Dark Faeries and Frost Giants) to Asgard.**

**Hall and Amund: Yes, I googled Norse baby names on this one. Hall literally means "Warrior Hero" and Amund means "Protector with a Sword". I thought them to be fitting names for Warrior/Guards.**

**Review please! I'd love to know if I should continue with this or not.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hey! Sorry for the huge delay between chapters-I was busy writing midterm papers and doing useless things like college, and LEARNING, and UGH. Just kidding, I actually love college, it's great. But here's another update for you! I'm not sure if I'll have one in anytime before next Thursday (HA! THORSDAY!), because I'm taking my midterm break in SCOTLAND! (And I may or may not be stalking a certain Cumberbatch on a certain charity bike ride some time soon...) But If you go follow my tumblr, I'll probably have some fantastic photos of the beautiful highlands and a few castles :) Now on with the show!**

**Disclaimer-I do not own any of the character's from Thor, they belong to the Marvel Universe and Norse Mythology.**

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A human.

Loki froze at these words. No human had ever entered into the realm of Asgard, not in the history of their existence. To have one show up now, with no knowledge of how it…SHE…arrived, was not only puzzling…but slightly unnerving. If something so weak and mortal could sneak past the all-seeing gaze of Heimdall, what was to say that something much more dangerous and threatening could not get into Asgard? How could a simple human, some pathetic Midguardian break past the protections that surrounded the realm?

Heimdall gazed upon Loki, sensing his confusion and frustration. He knew not of what was to come next, but if the future continued on the path that it was going down, it would only lead to good things for the realm. He watched the God of Mischief stare into the distance in wonderment, Knowing that he would play a part in her visit to the land of the Gods.

"My liege," spoke the Guardian, "I cannot show to you the future-it would drive even the strongest of men to madness-but I ask only one thing of you. Please, I beseech you, for the fate of Asgard, do not allow any harm to come to this girl. She is of great importance to us, and it would not bode well if anything unfavorable were to occur pertaining the girl. Fate has already been altered-your brother did not come. It falls upon you, Loki, to ensure that the future stays on its course." Loki did not react to the words of Heimdall at first, still in shock, still processing the presence of this girl. After a few moments, he turned to the Seer, a fierce look behind his eyes.

"Pray tell, Heimdall," he snappishly replied, "HOW am I supposed to watch over this girl? I am a Prince of Asgard, I am no servant!"

"Loki, I would have called for a servant if the future had called for a servant," answered the Guardian.

"And what about my dear brother?" demanded Loki. "His selfish tendencies once again interfering with MY life! How dare he not come when summoned! Once again, I must bear the mistakes and profligacy of my idiot brother!" Loki stormed the Bifrost, raven hair and tunic whipping in the gale, rage oozing from his pores. The God of Mischief had dealt with the brunt of his brother's laziness and impulsiveness too long. He craved to show the insufferable Thor a taste of what true power was, but oh no, that would be treason against family; in two weeks' time, it would be treason against the crown as well! How he ached to rid himself of the ties with his dim, battle-hungry brother, Thor.

"Heimdall!" The god roared. "I want you to find out how she got here, what power sent her here, and how to prevent this from further happening in the future. I do not care if you do not know, I want you to find out. That is an order!" Heimdall nodded slowly, acknowledging the young royal. He was already planning a search, but not on the behalf of the irate god. He craved answers, but not for the right reasons, at least not yet. Heimdall had a feeling that the God would come back with the right questions, and he would be ready for that day.

"I will begin at once, my liege," said the Guardian, saluting the young God. "Might I recommend that you speak to the girl when she wakes? She may have more information than I could offer; even with my sight I am limited." Loki glared into the fiery eyes of the Seer, and nodded curtly. He strode swiftly over to his horse, and with the grace of a dancer, pulled himself onto his mount.

"Of course, Mighty Guardian," sneered the Asgardian prince. He pulled his horse around in preparation for the return to the city, but stopped, and glanced over his shoulder with one last word to Heimdall. "I will be back; do not think that I will forget about your task. And please, Heimdall, for the sake of us all," Loki paused a moment, closed his eyes, and opened them again with a smile upon his face. "Do try to prevent further unwanted entrances to the realm." And with that, the dark-haired god and his midnight horse broke into a gallop towards the glowing city of Asgard.

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The bed was warm and cozy, and more comfortable than she could have ever imagined; it was like floating on a cloud. She didn't remember how she had gotten back to a bed. In fact, she didn't remember much past getting out of work on Friday. She had said goodbye to her boss, David, on the way out…she had gotten in the rickety elevator and pressed the 'B' button to get to the parking garage…she had gotten into her black Honda civic, and kicked off her heels for the drive home…it was raining as she pulled out of the garage, and people with umbrellas were everywhere…wet-rain-wet-DRO-WET…she had gotten on the interstate, driving slightly under the speed limit due to the torrential downpour…RAIN-WET-slip-wet-SLIDE-WET-CRA-rain…she pulled off at exit 27B to get home…the road was dark and WET-RAINING-SLIDE-CRASH she had to take a detour…the lighting flashed brilliantly across the sky, illuminating the RAIN-WET-DROWN-BRIDGE in front of her…there was an awful crash of thunder and another crash, and a tree was down just feet in front of her, and she SWERVED-RAIN-SLIP-RALING-WET-CRASH was screaming as her bumper broke through the flimsy wooden barrier on the bridge, and she was FALLING-CRASHING-WET-DROWNING…

…COLD-GASPING-WET-DROWNING-BREATHING-WATER-DROWNING…

…SWIMMING…GASPING…DROWNING…WET…DYING…

She bolted upright in the fluffy bed, hauling air into her lungs like it would disappear. And it had, and it had been replaced by water, but it wasn't water anymore and she was breathing, and then she was screaming, breathing out all the air that she had gathered, and pulling more air in it was precious, PRECIOUS, and then it was out again in an ear-piercing shriek of terror, it sent shivers down her own spine, and the process repeated over and over again, she could not stop she was terrified she was dying she was…

"Peace, child peace!" urged a soothing voice to the right of the bed. She looked up at the voice, and stopped wailing mid-screech. A woman of the most exquisite beauty stood by her bedside. Shining copper hair framed a flawless porcelain face. Ocean eyes stared at the distressed girl with deepest concern; cherry lips puckered in a slight worried frown. The woman was willowy and had an air of serenity and tenderness about her. The pale blue tunic she wore was adorned with delicate glass beads in a range of color and shape. She reached into the apron tied about her waist and pulled out a petite green bottle, and approached the still-panting girl.

"Tell me, my dear," she spoke softly, "What is your name?" The girl shook, lips trembling and unable to form words. The woman held out the green bottle to the girl.

"Drink," she commanded gently. "It will calm the nerves." The girl slowly reached for the bottle, urged by the encouraging nods of the soothing woman. She barely managed to un-cork the vial, and when she did, she raised the bottle to her lips, tipping the solution inside down her throat. The effect was almost instantaneous. Warmth flowed down her throat, and spread calm through her veins to the tips of her fingers. The shaking died down, and her breathing relaxed into a regular pattern. She stared at the bottle in her hands, and then up at the woman.

"Was that…drugs, or something?" she asked bluntly. The woman let out a soft laugh (_wow, even her voice is beautiful_ the girl thought) and took the bottle back from the girl.

"It was a healing tonic I developed myself," said the woman. "I am Eir, and I am the Goddess of Healing in this realm." The girl looked confusedly at the woman, and then slowly started to take in her surroundings. The golden ceiling above her head had to be at least fifty feet high. It was adorned with an elaborate chandelier that cast a glowing, warm light throughout the room. The room itself was coated in gold, from the beautiful chairs beside the bed, to the decorative tapestries on the wall, to the sheer curtains over the window. Outside, the girl could see a stunning landscape of rolling mountains and great golden buildings. However, she could not find it in herself to enjoy these sights, because they most certainly were not of Earth. She whipped back towards the woman, anxiety evident even in her calm state.

"Am I…am I…" she swallowed, gathering courage for her next word, "D-dead?" Eir smiled and shook her head, taking one of the girl's hands in her own. Her mothering feel calmed the girl slightly, but not enough to distract her from the pressing question at hand.

"What is your name, child?" asked the Goddess.

"It's ah…it's S-Sarah. Sarah…um…Mor…Morgenson," she stuttered out. "But where am I? I'm not dreaming, am I?" She gave herself a quick pinch on the arm, and flinched. "Ah, nope, not dreaming then. Well, what…where…I…I…What's happening to me?" She began to breathe more quickly and Eir rubbed calming circles into her palm. Sarah did not like where this was going, she wanted to get out, or at least find out what was going on.

"Sarah," said Eir slowly, blue eyes connecting with those of the frightened girl, "You are in Asgard. You were found, naked and unconscious, on the Bifrost by the Guardian, Heimdall. You were tended to and brought here for care. It is going to be alright, I am here to care for you." despite Eir's calming tone, Sarah continued to breathe heavily, her heart rate increasing and her palms sweating. It wasn't real, it couldn't be, Asgard was a myth, a story, a legend, and it was most definitely NOT real. But as many times as she blinked, trying to clear the golden walls and grandeur from her vision, it all remained. Her mind was racing, trying to come up with a logical reason for why she was in this mythical place, but nothing made sense. How could she be in a FICTIONAL place? It wasn't possible! She finally looked to the beautiful healer, and tried to calm herself down with deep breaths. Eir nodded, still clasping the girl's clammy palm tightly. Sarah shook her head several times, exhaling in frustrated puffs, before clearing her throat.

"D-do you know how I got here?" she asked desperately. Eir slowly shook her head, still maintaining eye contact with Sarah.

"I was only called here to be your healer," replied the goddess. "I was told nothing of your arrival, other than that you needed immediate care." The goddess paused for a moment, a thought crossing her mind. "What do you remember?" she asked. "Maybe that will help us to find out how you came to be in Asgard." Sarah nodded, and began to tell Eir what had happened.

"Well, I was at work, and I was going to leave, and I went to go get my car-" At this point, Eir tilted her head to the side in confusion. Sarah's mouth opened in a slight "oh" of realization-of course they weren't readily going to know about cars. "Right, um, it's like a…like a horse, but made of metal…and you sit in it and drive it…" Eir still looked confused, so Sarah decided to go on with the important parts of the story. "Anyways, I was driving home, and there was this terrible rain storm, it was coming down in buckets, and I could hardly see anything. So, I find out that I have to take a different route home…and I go down this windy road, and I got to a bridge…and my car was sliding, it slid right off of the bridge, and plunged into the water. I was drowning, I know I was. And I thought I had died, you know? But then…right before I went into the dark…it felt like something kinda yanked me upwards. It was the strangest feeling. And then…and then I was on that bridge, the, the what did you call it?

"The Bifrost," replied Eir. "It is the passage into Asgard, so it is not surprising that you ended up there." Sarah nodded, and continued her story.

"Yeah, the Bifrost. I remember it now, it was beautiful, but I couldn't really focus on it, you see, I was still drowning. I was still wet, and cold, and I couldn't get enough air into my lungs, but I didn't really realize that it was air. And…there was something else…" Sarah paused for a moment. "There was this…this face, this man. He was all pale and concerned looking, and he had really stunning eyes, and they were all on me. He looked so young but…he felt…old. But he was there, and then I woke up here." Sarah paused again, a slight furrow in her brow. "Does that help? Do you know how I got here now?" Eir took a moment, and to Sarah's dismay, shook her head again.

"I do not, my child," replied Eir. "But this man…he…he may know. I must tell the Prince that you are awake. I will not be long, I promise, I will return promptly." Sarah nodded, and laid back onto the soft covers, pondering her situation. Eir swept quietly across the room to the double doors, and exited into the hallway to meet the guards.

"Hall, Amund," she said, summoning the two guards. "The girl has awoken. Her name is Sarah Morgenson. Notify the prince immediately." The two guards nodded, and turned to leave, but Hall stopped, and turned back to face the healer.

"Does she remember anything, milady?" he asked formally. Eir shook her head, and the guard nodded, tilting his head in a show of respect to the goddess before turning on his heal and leaving. Loki was not a patient god, and it would not bode well if he were to wait any longer for the news. Hall and Amund swept through the great healing hall, and out into the bright light of day. They mounted their steeds, and raced off towards the great palace of Valhalla.

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**A/N**

**Eir-She is the goddess of healing, and the handmaiden of Frigga, Thor's mother and one of Odin's wives (we're gonna stick with one in this story, just for simplicity's sake)**

**Valhalla-You've all probably heard of this: the great palace in the sky where warriors who died in battle go. They say that there were 540 doors, each of which 800 men could walk abreast. This is also the palace of Odin, and would probably be where Thor and Loki lived until they had their own palaces (In Norse mythology, Thor comes to rule his own kingdom, called Thrudheim-but we're just gonna stick with Asgard for now :D)**

**Hope you liked it! Please review, let me know how I'm doing!**


	3. Chapter 3

**I know, I know, I am the absolute WORST. I've hopefully gotten over my writers block (oh joy, just in time for final exams) and you all are waaaaay overdue for a chapter, and I apologize. It's not as long as I had hoped, but read on, because I feel bad for not having posted in forever. **

**Enjoy :D**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Thor, Sarah is mine**

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Loki paced the shining golden floor of his spacious quarters. With each turn, a new question popped into his already full mind. He had tried to quell the growing number of issues flooding his head for nearly three hours. He had gone to alert his father nearly three hours ago. Odin had been in a meeting-regarding Thor's coronation, of course-and Loki had left a message with the guards outside the door, perhaps a little threateningly, stressing the urgency of his missive. The mischievous prince let out an exasperated sigh, and made his way to his favorite high-backed green chair.

Sinking into the plush seat, Loki placed a hand over his eyes, plagued by his thoughts. He sighed and shifted again rubbing his temples in an attempt to soothe his racing mind. His mother would have scolded him for pacing and pouting; he could almost hear her voice ringing out-"Those are not becoming actions of a Prince of Asgard!" Loki scoffed lightly at this; Frigga was always more concerned with his small habits rather than Thor's more…abrasive actions. Loki sighed again, his breath cool against his skin. Reason after reason kept piling up against the looming coronation of his brother; Loki loved Thor, there was no doubt about that, but he feared for Asgard with the thought of Thor upon the throne. He was impulsive, war-hungry, brash…the list went on.

Loki pushed himself out of the comfort of his chair and strode across the room and out of the gilded double doors onto his private balcony. The beauty of his home was never lost upon him; the emerald trees swayed slightly in the breeze next to the crystal clear waters of a playful brook. He could just hear the sounds of laughter and bartering from the marketplace beyond the palace walls. Several colorful birds soared overhead, their song bringing a slight smile to Loki's lips.

A sharp knock on the door broke the prince out of his peaceful reverie. He swept across the room towards the doors, and threw open the polished wood to find Hall and Amund before him. The two warriors began to salute the prince, but he waved them off.

"Yes, what news do you bring?" demanded Loki.

"My liege," spoke Hall, "We bring you the message of the girls awakening." Loki nodded, waving his hand waiting for more information. "She does not seem to remember anything of her journey here, aside from an accident that occurred while she was still on Midgard." Loki let out a frustrated huff at this. So even the girl who managed to sneak past Heimdall did not know anything of her arrival.

"Eir says that her name is Sarah, my liege," piped up Amund. "Sarah…Morgen…son." Loki almost smiled at this. Oh how things had changed over the years regarding namesakes and surnames.

"Very well then," replied Loki curtly, and turned to retreat into his room. Hall places his hand on the door, preventing it from shutting. Anger flashed in Loki's eyes.

"M-my liege," stammered Hall, knowing full well that he may have just signed his own death warrant. "Lady Eir dem-requests your presence in the Healing Hall. She thinks that it may help the girl retrieve her memories." Loki stared down the warrior, then slowly nodded. He stepped out of his room, and waved his arm in a sort of mock bow, as if to say, 'Lead the way'. Hall and Amund saluted the prince again, and strode down the hallway, Loki trailing gracefully behind.

* * *

Sarah's eyes followed Eir to the door of her room, then stared at the beautiful chambers around her. She drank in every detail, from the slight curve of the golden wall, to the swirling misty pattern present upon her bed. The liquid in the green bottle had certainly calmed her nerves, but she was restless all the same. Curiosity got the better of her, and she flung back the soft coverings. Slowly, she reached her bare foot to the shining floor, expecting it to be freezing; instead she was greeted by pleasant warmth. Sarah stood up quickly; unfortunately, her body did not seem ready for this, and her knees buckled, sending her crashing to the floor.

But something felt very different in that fall. It was not the wobbly sort of collapse that her injury often caused. No, in fact, she could not even feel the dull ache in her knee that accompanied standing after waking up. Pulling the sheer fabric of the nightdress over her left leg, she gasped. Her knee, previously sporting two scars of equal length and repulsiveness, was as flawless as it had been before the accident. Sarah traced a tentative hand over the skin, searching for the raised lines that she had grown used to in the past three years, but found nothing. With great caution, she rose to her feet, and began to shift her weight from one leg to the other. No pain came to her, and she slowly rose up onto the balls of her feet, and then fell back letting her whole foot rest on the smooth floor. She walked forward bending the knee all the way with each step, expecting stiffness and discomfort, but finding that none of that was present. Sarah slowly began to smile, and that smile turned into a soft giggle, and that giggle turned into laughter. She spun in circles, relishing the feel of two strong legs beneath her.

She couldn't stay in the room any longer, she had to run, she had to properly dance again. Sarah leapt towards the door, only to find that Eir was reentering the room.

"What have you done?" she cried in excitement. "I can walk, I can stand without that godawful pain in my leg, I can dance again, what have you done to me? Thank you! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" She leapt in the air, landing gracefully as she had longed to do for the past three years. Eir smiled, and approached the elated dancer.

"I simply healed you as I was told," replied the goddess. "I had noticed a lingering injury, and thought that I could do you well by fixing it. I'm glad that I made the right choice." Sarah's smile broadened and she took the goddess by the hands.

"I can't even tell you how much this means to me," said Sarah, her eyes wet with tears of joy. "I've felt…so limited, so very, very useless, and you fixed it, I'm better, they'll love it, I can dance again! I can do it, I can dance!" And before Eir could say or do anything, Sarah had taken off out of the healing chambers, and was leaping and twirling her way through the shining corridors of the healing hall. Her hair whipped behind her as she dashed up sloping hallways. Sarah spun, and jumped, and pirouetted, not caring what was around her-she was free again.

She came to an abrupt halt in an atrium of the most exquisite beauty. The floor was decorated with the most intricate carved patterns, and yet it was completely smooth. Sarah turned her eyes skyward, and let out a gasp at the sight above her. The gold of the walls crept into the dome of the ceiling, weaving flowery patterns across glass panels of many different colors. The sun streamed through the stained glass, casting colored shapes upon her pale skin. Sarah smiled and closed her eyes, and began to hum. Letting the gentle tune of the music guide her, she began to move.

Her arms, her legs, her chest, her head-they all came alive with the electricity of her art. She swung her leg out in a high kick, feeling the fabric of the gown billow with the movement. Sweeping her arms above her head, she twirled upon one leg in a pirouette. Her eyes remained closed, but her smile broadened with each movement. The dance became more furious, more excited, and she began to do fouettés around the room. She opened her eyes to spot, and was elated to notice that she hit the turn every time. She closed her eyes again, relishing the use of both of her legs.

Suddenly, she crashed into something very solid, and not-so-gracefully, she fell onto her backside. She was about to swear at whatever inanimate object she had ploughed into, when she found herself staring into a pair of startlingly familiar, concerned green eyes.

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